WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. John McCain incorrectly denied this weekend that he had made a remark criticizing media coverage of Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid during his election night speech near New Orleans, telling an interviewer that he was “not in the business of commenting on the press.”

But the presumptive Republican nominee had delivered the comment in question.

A Newsweek interviewer asked McCain about whether reporters had been fair to Clinton during her presidential run, pointing out that the presumptive Republican nominee had said during his Tuesday night speech that “the media hadn't recognized, or had overlooked some of the attributes that Hillary Clinton had brought to the race.”

McCain denied making the remark. “I did not [say that] - that was in prepared remarks, and I did not [say it] - I'm not in the business of commenting on the press and their coverage or not coverage,” he responded.

The Arizona senator added, “I can't change any of the coverage that I know of, except to just campaign as hard as I can and try to seek the approval of the majority of my fellow citizens. It is something that the American people will judge, and I won't complain about it and I won't praise it. I will just run my campaign and hope that the American people will make a judgment.”

But in his election night address, McCain had taken a swipe at the press. “Senator Clinton has earned great respect for her tenacity and courage,” he said. “The media often overlooked how compassionately she spoke to the concerns and dreams of millions of Americans and she deserves a lot more appreciation than she sometimes receives.” WATCH McCain's comment here.

Some of Clinton's strongest supporters have complained that she received unfair treatment from journalists during her presidential run. McCain's campaign has made a special effort to appeal to disappointed Clinton backers in the days since she ended her White House run.

soundoff(251 Responses)

Shelly in IL

UH OHHHH! O-BOY...LOL

June 9, 2008 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

Kylee - IL

I really wonder why you all are tearing eachother apart with this. Sure, I support the best candidate for the job; Obama. Regardless of his experience, he has a wonderful outline of how this country should be. The reason for everyone being so interested in this election is because the country is in shreds. But does it all really matter? The electoral college chooses the candidate. So go ahead, rip eachothers throats, scream, cry, bicker, blog blog blog. In the end, Johnny Government chooses the president. So stop spamming these blogs with useless comments that do not matter.

June 9, 2008 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

Kelby from Houston, TX

Looks like old man McCain is out of his memory medicine. Did McCain leave his wife after a car accident? Didn't McCain allow his state to remove MLK day from their holiday calendar and then admit that was an act of cowardace. YEAH, I CALLED HIM A COWARD!

DEMOCRATS '08 AND FOREVER

June 9, 2008 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

58 old white ladies for OBAMA

LISTEN LADIES. IF MCSAME HAD HIS WAY, HE

WOULD LOAD THE SUPREME COURT WITH

JUDGES THAT WOULD TAKE OUT RIGHT TO

OUR OWN BODIES, LET ALONE OTHER RIGHTS.

June 9, 2008 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

Whoa

He is really suckin' up to the Clinton supporters isn't he!!??

June 9, 2008 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

jimmy velman

MCCAIN IS A WAR HERO , ENDURED MUCH SUFFERRING AS A POW.. HE HAS MUCH , SO MUCH MORE EXPERIENCE THAN OBAMA.. HILLARY CLINTON STUCK TO THE CRITICAL ISSUES
IN HER CAMPAIGN SPEECHES AND GOT 17 MILLION VOTES. OBAMA IS BEGINNING TO SOUND LIKE A RECORDING . ALL RHETORIC AND NOT MUCH SUBSTANCE. THE INEXPERIENCE IS BEGINNING TO SHOW. NOW ADD THIS PROBLEM OF NOT PICKING HILLARY FOR VP. AND HIS PAASTOR PROBLEMS .
YOU WILL HAVE AN IDEA WHERE OBAMA IS.

June 9, 2008 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

not this time

he lost his bearings AGAIN

June 9, 2008 04:20 pm at 4:20 pm |

donna

Poor thing...maybe he should always wear one of those earpieces so that his staff can "feed" him the answers so he can stop looking "soft" in the memory department....you know..sort of like the earpiece that Bush wore during the Presidential debates...

June 9, 2008 04:20 pm at 4:20 pm |

Anarchy1

I think McCain just had a senior moment...wish I could have one too...so I can forget how horrible he looked in front of the Green Monster during his New Orleans speech. That was godawful...I think the RNC and all 300 of his supporters that night had visions of Bob Dole...LOL

June 9, 2008 04:20 pm at 4:20 pm |

Rudy NYC

Why does this remind me of Reagan's, "I do not recall."? I do not think Sen. McCain would knowingly misquote himself. I am going to atrribute this reported error to campaign fatigue.

June 9, 2008 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |

D.Kimbro OHIO

This man is well versed in double talk. He is such a liar that it isn't even funny. If his lame excuses and mis-speaks are forgiven, so many of the Hillary supporters who say they will vote for him will be out of work and of their homes. Good Luck with this guy....

June 9, 2008 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |

Change

Did the doctors say he is mentally fit. Back ground check on the doctors something fishy here? Is it a say it and deny it or just poor memmory,? either way it doesn't help

June 9, 2008 04:22 pm at 4:22 pm |

Chuks

Grandpa McCain come on give me a break! The whistle has just been blown for the race to commence and you are already telling lies. Stop listening to Karl Rove and haven't you learned anything from Hillary yet?

And don't even get me started by claiming it is because you are old! Good grief... talk about a NIGHTMARE candidate.

June 9, 2008 04:22 pm at 4:22 pm |

No McCain!

This doesn't surprise me.

He doesn't know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites (at least he acts like he doesn't know). I'm 18 and I know the differences!

You are what you say.

Obama '08!

June 9, 2008 04:22 pm at 4:22 pm |

Tom

To Still for Hill: So let me get this straight. You supported HRC, but now have switched to the guy who's anti-choice, anti-health, supports the war–need I go on? And you are NOT supporting the candidate who was identical to HRC on 99% of policies. You're voting for the one who disagrees with her 99% of the time. And how is your choice rational?

June 9, 2008 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

Gary of El Centro, Ca

Having a senior moment are we? Didn't he have Lieberman close at hand to correct him this time?

June 9, 2008 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

nick

Wow all these Obama supporters can't face the fact that McCain has MUCH MORE experience than Obama! McCain has been a Senator for 22 years and Obama has been a Senator for 4 years. McCain has 18 more years exp. than Obama. Also McCain was in the house for 4 Years, Obama ran for house of representatives but LOST!! so Basically McCain has 22 MORE YEARS of POLITICAL EXP. THAN OBAMA!

June 9, 2008 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

Mar

Now that they don't have Hillary to bash, they will bash McCain. Watch out CNN< he is a "warmonger" remember?
You go John, don't let them bother you. You have MILLIONS of HILLARY supporters behind you and we are tough!!

June 9, 2008 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

Political Watcher

Flip... flop....duck....dodge... silly man. He finds himself in a tricky position. He has to pander to the unhappy HIllary supporters AND he has to pander to his base. With these groups being such polar opposites, no wonder he's having a hard time keeping his pandering comments straight.

June 9, 2008 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

jimmy velman

MCCAIN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. MCCAIN HAS MORE INTEGRITY
AND CREDIBILITY. THE MEDIA INDEED HAD BEEN BIASED AND IT SHOWED , SO MUCH SO THAT OTHER NETWORKS CRITCIZED
NBC AND ITS REPORTERS WHO ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE TAKING ORDERS FROM THE TOP. CNN AND FOX NEWS HAD MANY MORE VIEWERS THAN NBC AND ITS AFFILIATES.

June 9, 2008 04:24 pm at 4:24 pm |

Karen from Charlottesville

Both Obama and McCain gave economic policy speeches today and CNN is focusing on Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and the media. Quit your navel gazing CNN and report some NEWS, if you remember how. In the meantime, I'm switching my home page to msnbc.

June 9, 2008 04:24 pm at 4:24 pm |

Jason

Here it is again...proof that the media is in the tank for Obama and will do anything to take down the other candidates. I'm just waiting to hear what Roland Martin has to say about this since he seems to be all knowing. Way to go CNN!

I can't wait to laugh in the faces of the Obama supporters when he loses so badly!

Hillary 2012

June 9, 2008 04:24 pm at 4:24 pm |

Robert in Toronto,ON

CNN is not the only news centre reporting this, so don't blame CNN for McCain's gaffe!

I mean cmon...when Obama was being torn down about the Wright situation or the "Bittergate" story....there were ZERO Clinton supporters saying anything wrong about the media. No, they enjoyed pilling on saying how unfit Obama would be for the President.

Then Clinton made up some story about Bosnia fire, or got roasted for her comments about RFK, then it became "Oh...why is the media picking on her???"

YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS PEOPLE.

June 9, 2008 04:25 pm at 4:25 pm |

Ron L

DO YOU SEE A TREND HERE????
Above all things Senator McCain is a 70 year Old man. This means his memory IS NOT as sharp as it was even 20 years ago. It is a scientific fact our bodies and brain goes though certain changes every 10 years...ITS JUST FACT
GUESS WHAT....THEY ARE NOT IMPROVEMENTS AFTER 50...
THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN...AND AGAIN...AND AGAIN..
The question is..Do Americans want a President with a fading memory???
We will find out in the next 5 months.